| Fresno Convention Center | |
|---|---|
The Selland Arena: the largest venue in the complex |
|
| Address | 700 M Street |
| Location | Fresno, California |
| Owner | City of Fresno, California |
| Operator | SMG |
| Opened | October 1966 |
| Expanded | 1981, 1999 |
| Banquet/ballroom | 50 to 900 / 1,200 |
| Theatre seating | 2,353 |
| Enclosed space | |
| Total space | 139,200 sq ft (12,930 m2) |
| Exhibit hall floor | 24,200 sq ft (2,250 m2) 32,000 sq ft (3,000 m2) 83,000 sq ft (7,700 m2) |
| Breakout/meeting | 25 |
| Ballroom | 13,129 sq ft (1,219.7 m2) |
| Website | www.fresnoconventioncenter.com |
The Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center is a convention center located in Fresno, California. The five building complex was originally made up of three main venues when completed in 1966, and underwent several expansions with the latest additions in 1981 and 1999.[1]
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Named after former Fresno mayor Arthur L. Selland, the Selland Arena is a 24,200 sq ft (2,250 m2) multi-purpose arena with a seating capacity of 11,300.[2] The facility is home to the Central Valley Coyotes of the af2 and was home to the Fresno State men's basketball program and Fresno Falcons hockey team. It has hosted various entertainment, concert, and college sporting events throughout the years, most notably WWE's Royal Rumble, WWF Fully Loaded, the 2000 Western Athletic Conference basketball tournament and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
The numerous bands and artists that have played Selland Arena in concert include; Metallica, No Doubt, Korn, Garth Brooks, Tom Petty, Hilary Duff, Rush & Van Halen. Van Halen recorded their 1992 "Right Here Right Now" Live Home Video/DVD concert here over a two night sold out series of concerts May 14–15, 1992.
Named after native Fresnan, novelist William Saroyan the 2,353 seat theatre is home the Fresno Philharmonic and the Fresno Ballet. Thomas Griswold conducted the inaugural concert in this new theatre on October 14, 1966. The concert included the Consecration of the House Overture by Ludwig van Beethoven, Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar, Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland and Daphnis et Chloé by Maurice Ravel.
The theatre has hosted Mikhail Baryshnikov, Arthur Fiedler, George Carlin, Jerry Seinfeld, and Isaac Stern as well as magician David Copperfield, Broadway shows Cats, The Sound of Music, Evita, Chicago, and Riverdance and the Miss California Pageant.
Formerly named the Exhibit Hall, Valdez Hall is a 32,000 sq ft (3,000 m2) multi-purpose facility suitable for exhibit shows, stage events, convention meetings, dances and banquets.[3]
The 13,129 sq ft (1,219.7 m2) conference center is located across the street to the south, adjacent to the Radisson Hotel, and features a ballroom and banquet hall capable of accommodating up to 1,200 that can be divided into as many as seven salons.[4]
Exhibit Hall is the newest addition to the complex. Completed in 1999, the building features 67,000 sq ft (6,200 m2) of uninterrupted exhibit space with an additional 16,000 sq ft (1,500 m2) of available exhibit space in the first and second floor lobbies. The main exhibit floor can be partitioned into separate halls.[5]